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Local family buys Verne Drive-In

Lead Summary
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By
Lori Sorenson, editor

When the Verne Drive-In opens May 1, movie patrons likely won’t notice the change of ownership.
Doug Rozeboom will still be in charge, checking on concessions, tickets, employees and other theater duties, just like he’s been doing for the past five years.
Only this time, he’ll be there as the operator of the family’s business, something he looked forward to.
“I’ve always liked working at the drive-in — how happy the people are to be at the movies and how happy and laid-back the employees are,” said Rozeboom, a 2017 LHS graduate.
“So, when I got my business degree in December and Glenn (Burmeister) had it for sale, the timing was right.”
His dad, Kevin, purchased the business, and Doug will be the operator.
“We’re definitely going to reach out more to the community,” he said Monday night from the concession building that he and his family have been working on to prepare for the upcoming season.
“I’m looking forward to better interactions with customers — like free jumpstarts for dead car batteries.”
And he said every year he looks forward to seeing new customers and all the loyal returnees, some who come every weekend, whether they’ve seen the movie or not.
“The people — all the different people that come through — are definitely the best part of the job,” he said, adding that he looks forward to treating them well. “If you don’t have customers, you don’t have a business.”
Not that he’s worried about business.
During the last several seasons under his management, most nights were sold out and the biggest challenge was having enough hands on deck to manage the crowds.
And that’s another thing he’s enjoyed at the drive-in — good help. He mentioned the Thielbar twins — Luke and Levi — who are now sophomores with management-type experience.
Out of nearly 20 summer workers, most come back, and local teens usually line up to fill positions if they’re open.
Doug will also lean on his sister, Gracie, an LHS senior, for management-level help. She, too, has worked several years at the drive-in and said she looks forward to helping with work schedules, tickets or wherever she’s needed.
“I think people like what’s here, and we’re not going to change it much,” she said, pointing out that concessions and ticket prices will be the same.
Their younger brother Jace is not quite 12, but already he’s been at the drive-in during the summer months, helping in concessions and with cleanup.
The three familiar young faces will blend in with the other drive-in workers, but they say they’re looking forward to running the business as a family.
Their mom, Allie, died four years ago, and they said she’d likely be proud to know about the family’s drive-in business.
“It is pretty cool how the whole family is helping out and how we support each other,” he said, adding that his grandma, Donna Vahey, and his aunt and uncle, Sam and Mike DeBates have also been supportive.
The Verne Drive-In originally opened in the 1950s and it reopened in 2000 when the Burmeisters built a new ticket building and new main building that includes a large concession stand, commercial kitchen and party room.
In 2014 the drive-in was equipped with a digital movie projector.
The drive-in will be open on the weekends in May and then every night after Memorial Day through the summer.

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